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Cross-Dressing Bank Robber Gets Six Years In Federal Prison
Darryl J. Depastino, a Los Angeles man whom the FBI dubbed the "Masquerade Bandit," has been sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty last year to four bank robberies, including one where he disguised himself as a woman, reports CBS Local. Police said bank employees noticed 49-year-old Depastino's five o’clock shadow showing through his makeup.
The stick-ups were intimidating and frightening, according to prosecutors, who said that in at least two of the heists, the defendant pretended he was carrying a weapon. Demand notes included such phrases as: “Quick, or I start shooting my way out” and “Just hand it over or I will shoot my way out,” court documents show.
Prosecutors said the criminal history of the defendant showed more than two-dozen incidents with law enforcement, most leading to criminal convictions, dating back to 1984. In addition to the prison sentence, Depastino was ordered by the judge to pay restitution of about $7,000.